The sharp wasteland wind sliced across Lu Zhechuan's cheeks, carrying fine rust particles that scraped against his skin like tiny, unrelenting needles. He didn't dare to slow his pace for even a heartbeat, his legs moving in rigid sync with the Basic Movement Footwork—each step carefully placed in the gaps between scrap metal piles to minimize his trail, to shrink his aura, to make himself a harder target to track. The dull ache in his chest, left by the inspector's energy blade, throbbed with every breath, a sharp reminder of how close he'd come to death back at the warehouse. His throat burned raw, filled with the metallic tang of blood, and his lungs felt like they were on fire, each inhale a struggle that made his vision blur at the edges.
Behind him, the oppressive, frigid aura of the Heavenly Dao Corporation field inspector clung to him like a shadow, unyielding and deadly. It wasn't just a presence; it was a weight, a suffocating pressure that pressed down on his skull, making his temples pound. Every few seconds, a searing blue energy blade would slash down from the darkness behind him, slamming into the rusted metal heap beside him with a deafening crash. The blast sent shards of steel flying, one grazing his arm to leave a shallow, burning gash, another singeing the edge of his cloak. The inspector's attacks were precise, ruthless, designed not just to kill, but to cripple—to cut off his escape, to force him to stop and fight.
"Running is useless, trash! Hand over the experimental log, and I'll end your pain quickly!" The inspector's cold, venomous voice cut through the wind, laced with unbridled fury and disdain. He was a Late Core Implantation realm expert, a high-ranking enforcer of the Heavenly Dao Corporation, and chasing a Mid Core Implantation scrap picker should have been a trivial task. Yet Lu Zhechuan's nimble footwork, honed by years of navigating the Chip Graveyard's labyrinthine wreckage, combined with the Primeval Origin Core's subtle aura-concealing hum, kept him just out of reach. That tiny margin of safety infuriated the inspector, amplifying his killing intent with every passing second.
Lu Zhechuan's breath came in ragged, gasping bursts, his throat parched and raw. The Passive Auto-Cultivation module ran at full tilt, a steady stream of warm energy coursing through his exhausted limbs, staving off the brink of collapse. It mended the shallow cuts on his arms, soothed the muscle tears in his legs, and kept his heart beating strong, even as his body screamed for rest. He could feel the temporary 25% unlock of the system's hidden function lingering in his chest, the Origin Core warm and thrumming with dormant power—but he had no time to explore it, no time to rest. The experimental log, clutched tightly to his chest through the cloak, dug into his palm with every desperate stride. This wasn't just a document; it was the only key to his parents' identities, the only thread leading to the truth of Project-001, the only hope of understanding why the Heavenly Dao Corporation had killed them. Losing it meant losing everything.
The deeper he ran into the northern scrap heaps, the more treacherous the landscape became. Towering, twisted mechanical wreckage loomed overhead, some leaning precariously at impossible angles, as if they would collapse at the slightest vibration. Deep, shadowy crevices split the ground, their depths hidden by loose scrap, waiting to trip an unsuspecting traveler. The air grew thicker with the acrid stench of energy leakage, mixing with the metallic tang of rust and the faint, sickly sweet smell of decay. The ancient energy fluctuation detected by the system earlier grew stronger with each step, a faint, warm hum brushing against his consciousness, a silent beacon guiding him forward.
The system's persistent alerts pinged in his mind, a constant stream of warnings that sharpened his focus.
…Pursuer energy signature maintaining distance. Approaching at 80% speed.
…Ancient energy source detected below. Potential shelter. Proximity: 50 meters.
…Warning: Do not stop. Ruin ahead may provide temporary cover.
Lu Zhechuan ignored the warnings, his eyes fixed on the faint, pulsing glow of ancient energy ahead. He pushed his body beyond its limits, his legs trembling, his muscles screaming, but he refused to falter. The inspector's aura was growing closer, the sound of his heavy footsteps echoing in the wasteland, a deadly drumbeat that would stop only when he caught his prey.
Just as his legs began to shake uncontrollably, his vision swimming with exhaustion, his foot stepped onto empty air.
A hidden cave mouth, concealed beneath a thick layer of loose scrap metal and dust, yawned beneath his feet. The metal plate covering it had rusted through long ago, weakened by years of exposure to the wasteland's harsh elements, and his weight had been too much for the fragile surface to bear. Lu Zhechuan's heart jolted, a sharp intake of breath cutting off his gasp, and before he could react, his body tumbled forward into the dark opening. The steep, earthen slope sent him sliding downward rapidly, his arms flailing to break his fall, his hands scraping against the rough stone to slow his descent.
Instinctively, he pulled the experimental log to his chest, pressing it tightly against his heart, shielding it from impact. The Origin Core in his chest trembled, releasing a faint, protective buffer of energy that softened the worst of the collision. He hit the bottom of the slope hard, his shoulder slamming into the stone wall, a sharp pain shooting through his body, but he didn't move. For a long moment, he lay there, gasping, his mind reeling from the sudden fall, his body throbbing with a dozen new aches and scrapes.
The pursuing inspector skidded to a halt at the edge of the hidden entrance, his sharp eyes scanning the dark, uncharted cave below. His wrist scanning device flickered wildly, emitting a rapid, panicked beeping sound.
…Signal lost. Ancient energy interference detected. Target aura masked.
…Error: Unable to lock onto energy signature.
The inspector's brows furrowed tightly, his dark expression darkening further. He had mapped most of the Chip Graveyard's peripheral areas for the Heavenly Dao Corporation, but this hidden ruin was unmarked—a complete unknown. Entering without backup carried unforeseen risks, unknown traps, and potentially even more powerful enemies. But he couldn't turn back. The experimental log was top-secret corporate property, marked as Class A confidential, and its theft was an unforgivable offense. If he returned to the corporation empty-handed, if the log fell into the wrong hands, he would be hunted down and executed for treason. There was no other choice.
After a split second of brutal, terrified hesitation, he gritted his teeth. He raised his high-grade energy dagger, its blue blade glowing brightly to cut through the darkness, and stepped into the cave entrance. His aura flared slightly, casting light on the rough stone walls, and he continued the pursuit downward, his steps slow and vigilant, every sense on high alert.
Lu Zhechuan finally pushed himself to his feet, his shoulder still throbbing, but he didn't waste a moment. He pressed his back against the cold stone wall, holding his breath, listening intently for any sign of the inspector. The cave was pitch-black, with only a faint sliver of dim light filtering down from the entrance far above, casting long, distorted shadows that danced across the walls. The air was dry and cool, a stark contrast to the wasteland's scorching heat and rust-choked stench, carrying instead a fine, age-old dust that settled on his skin, soft and silent, as if it had slept undisturbed for thousands of years.
The ancient energy fluctuation here was denser and softer, wrapping around him like a gentle current, seeping into his pores, into his meridians, and the Origin Core in his chest hummed in quiet resonance, growing warmer with each passing breath. It was like drinking in a cool stream of energy, a soothing counterpoint to the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.
He leaned against the wall, gasping for breath, and finally allowed his taut muscles to relax slightly—just a little. For the first time since fleeing the warehouse, the inspector's suffocating presence had been completely blocked, no longer weighing down on his heart like a boulder. The ancient energy within the ruin had formed a natural shield, masking his aura, hiding him from the tracker. He was safe. For now.
Taking advantage of this brief, precious respite, Lu Zhechuan quickly checked his body. The dull throbbing in his chest was fading rapidly under the quiet repair of Passive Auto-Cultivation, the minor cuts on his arms scabbing over, the bruises from the fall already starting to fade. He then carefully pulled the experimental log and the corporate authority badge from his cloak, his fingers trembling slightly as he inspected them. The log was intact, its pages crisp and unharmed, the ink still dark and clear. The badge, a small, silver disc etched with the Heavenly Dao Corporation's emblem, was unscathed. A wave of overwhelming relief washed over him. He hadn't lost the only thing that mattered.
As he held the badge and the log, the system's gentle prompts echoed in his mind.
…Ancient ruin energy field detected. Aura tracking blocked completely.
…Host temporarily safe from pursuit.
…Primeval Origin Core is absorbing ancient ruin energy. Hidden function unlocking progress: 25% → 32%.
…Emergency shield cooling complete. Available for activation again in critical situations.
He tucked the log and badge away safely, pressing them into the inner pocket of his cloak where they would be safe, then narrowed his eyes and slowly adjusted to the darkness. As his vision gradually cleared, he realized this was no natural cave. The stone walls beneath his palms were unnaturally smooth, carved with faded, intricate patterns that glimmered with a faint, silvery luminescence. The ground beneath his feet was paved with neatly fitted, worn stone bricks, their surfaces polished smooth by centuries of dust and time, clearly the remains of a man-made structure from a long-forgotten era.
Caution and curiosity stirred within him alike, warring for dominance. This ruin was an unknown, a labyrinth of darkness filled with unseen dangers, traps, and potentially even hostile beings. Yet it was his only refuge from the inspector outside, a safe haven where he could catch his breath, heal his wounds, and perhaps even uncover more clues about the Origin Core, about Project-001, and his parents. The ancient energy hummed around him, rich and potent, and the Origin Core's hum grew louder, more insistent, as if it were calling to something deep within the ruin.
He took a slow, quiet step forward, following the faint glow of the wall carvings deeper into the ruin. The passage stretched onward silently, its walls lined with the same silvery runes, their light growing brighter with each step. The ancient energy grew richer, more intense, and the hum of the Origin Core grew more distinct, a steady, calming beat that matched his own.
Unbeknownst to him, the inspector had already entered the cave passage, his steps slow and deliberate, his energy dagger glowing with a fierce blue light to cut through the oppressive darkness. He was closing in, step by step, his aura flaring to light his path, his mind fixed on one goal: recapturing the experimental log, no matter the cost. He was unaware that the ruin held far more secrets than just a fleeing scrap picker, secrets that could change the course of his mission—and Lu Zhechuan's life—forever.
And at the end of the stone passage, hidden in the depths of the ruin, a faint, golden light pulsed softly, flickering like a distant star, waiting for Lu Zhechuan to arrive.